


family

by calebwidogast



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, i dont have a working brain i cant thikn of other tags that id need to add
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:01:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25594705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calebwidogast/pseuds/calebwidogast
Summary: family can be shitty, but not all the time.these are three ficlets i started and never finished from last year when i first finished the show. each is a separate chapter, in chronological order bc i dont think i wrote them in that order?they're all klaus pov bc im like that.
Relationships: Allison Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, NO ships. im not nasty, Number Five | The Boy & Allison & Ben & Diego & Klaus & Luther & Vanya
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cw: the whole obvious background of reginald being abusive and them all worrying, klaus's mausoleum field trips are described

klaus hadn’t told his siblings where dad took him, but diego and vanya had caught on that something had happened while he was gone.

diego pestered. “you can tell me what’s wrong.” he meant well, but klaus really, really didn’t want to. he shut him out as soon as they were allowed to go to their rooms.

vanya worried. quietly, subtly. she left a packet of skittles and a note by his door that said,  _ ‘i’ve been saving this for a while, you need it more than me right now. love you. 7.’ _

he sat holding the note in one hand and the candy in the other, alone on his bed for a long time. if he let himself space out enough, he couldn’t hear whispering. if he looked at vanya’s handwriting until it wasn’t words anymore, he could pretend like he’d ever be truly alone again.

when he was with his siblings, he was distracted- the spirits were still there, in and out, but they fell into the background. he liked that, and he liked being with them, but he wanted the option to be alone without being afraid. he felt dependent. he couldn’t tell if he disliked the feeling because he felt guilty, or because he actually wanted to be able to be by himself. the thought process was convoluted, but that distracted him enough that he wasn’t anxious.

he was jolted out of his thoughts by the sound of his door opening. he looked up with a start and found diego sliding in and quietly shutting the door behind him. he nearly slipped on one of the pieces of paper that were lying in front of the door.

“you didn’t see our n-notes?” diego asked, looking down at them.

“no, i… no.” klaus said, crunching vanya’s note in his hand and shoving the skittles under his pillow. “i wasn’t paying attention.”

diego crouched down to pick up all the slips of paper. “i’ll catch you up then. we’re going to griddy’s.”

“what time is it?” klaus asked. he watched diego ball up the papers and shove them into the top desk drawer.

“so dad doesn’t find them.” diego explained. “it’s late, mom is under maintenance for the night. we’re going out allison’s window.”

klaus hesitated, and then got up. he was still in his clothes, so he went to his closet to rummage around for his old shoes- he didn’t really feel like shining the new ones if he scuffed them up. “is it cold?”

“nah, we’ll be okay w-without coats. hurry up.” diego said. “everyone else is waiting.”

“we got caught last time.” klaus pointed out.

diego shrugged and let klaus walk past him out the door. he dropped his voice to a whisper and said, “well, this time we know better.” he shut the door silently and they set off toward allison’s room.

when they got there, klaus glanced around. “you said everyone was waiting.”

“uh, yeah.” luther said. “let’s go.”

“i don’t wanna go if vanya’s not.” klaus said, crossing his arms. he thought of the skittles waiting under his pillow, only there because vanya had been nice to him. “this isn’t something that we need powers for.”

diego sighed thinly. “really, klaus?”

“yeah, really.” klaus said. “i bet she doesn’t even know what donuts taste like. can you imagine?”

luther said, “she’s going to get us caught.”

allison hesitated before pointing out, “we got caught before. that wasn’t her fault.”

“she’ll just make it more likely.” diego said.

klaus looked over to ben. “what d’you think?”

ben glanced between klaus and luther. “i’m… not sure. we can’t get in any more trouble than last time.”

“why not take her with?” five shrugged. “they’re right, we already got the worst of it.”

“whatever.” diego said, rolling his eyes.

“you have to go get her.” luther said, pointing at klaus. “don’t get caught.”

klaus shot luther a glare. “don’t be rude.”

luther’s eyes narrowed, and klaus shot him an ugly face before he kicked off his shoes and turned to leave allison’s room. “if you leave without us i’m going to tell mom how you guys decided you like broccoli like i do and we should eat more of it.”

allison’s horrified face was the last thing he saw as he closed the door.

he scanned the hall before stepping forward, setting his sock-covered feet down carefully. he crept toward the door and as he reached it, he realised knocking would probably be too loud, so he jiggled the handle for half a second before he actually walked in with his eyes closed. closing it as quickly as he could, he said, “sorry i can’t knock don’t want to wake dad up can i open my eyes?” in one breath.

vanya was silent for a moment, and then let out a confused laugh. “yes, are you okay?”

klaus opened his eyes. vanya was in her pajamas, a book open in her lap. “get dressed, we’re all going to get donuts.” he stepped over to her closet. “i’ll hide in here and pick out your shoes while you change.”

she blinked at him. “we’re all going?”

“yeah, hurry, they wanna go soon.” klaus said, throwing vanya a set of clothes and then shutting himself in the closet. he realised as soon as the door was closed that he hadn’t really thought this through, because it was dark and tiny and even though vanya was right there, his heart began to race.

there was silence for a moment, and then shuffling as vanya scrambled to get dressed, so he focused on the noise. after a moment, she said, “okay, get my old shoes.”

klaus opened the closet door with the shoes in his hand, trying to act like he wasn’t scared out of his wits. “just, uh, put them on in allison’s room.”

she nodded with a smile. “thanks.”

“‘course.” klaus said. “let’s go.” he opened the door for her and they stepped out. she paused as he closed the door silently, and then they crept back to allison’s room.

when they got back, the others were still there, shifting with impatience. diego looked up at them and as soon as the door was closed, said, “hurry and get your shoes on.”

by the time they were ready, luther was already halfway out the window. diego followed closely behind, already whisper-yelling after luther. ben went after diego, waiting outside the window to talk to allison as she crawled out.

klaus looked back at vanya, who looked more anxious than he had been expecting. “it’s gonna be fun.”

“we’ll help you out, watch me.” five said. he crawled out the window, exaggerating his movements for her to imitate. he waited for vanya and klaus to get to the window and said “it’s kinda sloped, careful.”

klaus let her go ahead, ready to lean out and catch her if worse came to worst, but she made her way out without much trouble. five steadied her as she got her feet on the roof, and klaus followed them out, pulling the window nearly closed behind them.

they made their way down to the ground after the rest of their siblings, and when they all reached the ground, diego nodded a little begrudgingly toward vanya. “not bad.”

vanya raised her chin just slightly. “how long do we have before we should be back?”

luther said, “we just have to get back before four.”

“well, he walks pretty slow.” allison snorted.

klaus stuck his tongue out at her as diego said, “c-c’mon.”

ben grinned. “five, are you going to try one of those blackberry donuts this time?”

“if you eat a handful of the coffee sugar.” five shrugged. “it’s a trade.”

klaus told vanya as they started walking, “i really like these ones they sell that are kind of like funnel cake.”

“wait… how are we paying for these without dad knowing?” vanya asked him.

allison looked back at them. “i’ll convince them. it’s just donuts, right?”

they got to griddy’s and sat at the counter, allison waiting patiently in the seat closest to the kitchen door. when the employee came out and saw all of them, he blinked for a moment and then asked, “uh, what can i do for you kids tonight?”

“ _ i heard a rumor _ ,” allison started. “ _ that you’re serving free donuts to kids under twelve years old tonight _ .”

the employee’s eyes blanked for a moment, and then cleared again as luther asked, “what donuts do you have ready right now?”

it took a little bickering, but they eventually decided on two dozen donuts to split.

klaus revelled in the company of his siblings and the comfort of sugary food. he didn’t say it, but especially after the mausoleum, it was nice to do something dad would hate. they had snuck out, stuffed their faces with donuts, and were having fun doing it.

five interrupted him spacing out. “klaus, how many is that for you?”

“it’s my third, i think?” he looked over at the plate between them. “how many have you had?”

“this is my fifth. i gave vanya the last one, so if anyone wants more we’re going to have to order some more.”

klaus snorted. “you definitely don’t need any more.”

five narrowed his eyes. “well, now i’m going for six.”

ben called over to him, “five, i’m about to eat the sugar.”

he had his hand outstretched, and allison was pouring the sugar into it.

five leaned forward and rested his chin on his hand. “it’s really not gonna be as bad as you’ve been building it up to be.”

before he had time to think about it, ben lifted his hand and practically threw the sugar into his mouth. klaus nearly choked on his donut laughing as sugar sprayed all around ben.

luther covered his face with one hand.

“...yeah, it’s not bad.” ben admitted after a moment.

the night went on, and by the time they left, five, vanya, and ben had eaten so many donuts they were feeling sick. they stopped in an alley so they wouldn’t get sick at home and wake dad. “next time,” five said, “we can just sneak the extra donuts back in.”

they eventually got back in through allison’s window with no hassle, and vanya said a quiet thank you and goodnight to everyone as they dispersed. it wasn’t all that late, either, so klaus decided as he walked back to his room that he could stay up a little while longer.

he was opening the drawer where the diego had shoved the notes from earlier, wondering whether he should burn them to get rid of the evidence, when his door cracked open. klaus closed the drawer so fast the handle nearly came off, and looked up to meet eyes with diego.

“h-hey.” he stepped into klaus’s room, and behind him was vanya. they shut the door and klaus felt like a deer trapped in the headlights- frozen in place, his hand halfway between himself and the drawer.

“what?” he finally decided on.

“klaus, we know something’s wrong.” vanya said, using the same unsure voice she used when dad told her she could talk with them after training.

klaus blinked and stepped back, then turned to go sit on his bed. “yeah, you puked your guts out after six donuts.”

vanya squinted at him, and diego cut in, “where does dad take you for your personal training?”

“i don’t have personal training.” klaus said, immediately, without a lie to back it up.

“you were gone a whole day last w-week. he said that you were doing special training.”

klaus swallowed nervously. “like he hasn’t lied before.”

“what did he make you do?” vanya asked. “klaus, we can tell something happened. you’ve been so… different. not as you.”

“jumpy.” diego added.

klaus felt cornered, so it was hard not to look jumpy right now especially. “he didn’t make me do anything. i’m fine. get out of my room.”

vanya seemed to shy back, and klaus immediately felt guilty. diego noticed, too, and shifted just slightly closer to vanya, protectively. klaus was struck by how much more loyal diego was to the rest of them than their number one, even when dad tried to drive them all apart. “we’re not leaving.”

klaus looked at diego as he spoke, but then to vanya as he replied, “i can’t. i’m sorry, i can’t.”

“you don’t n-need to help dad keep secrets.” diego said. “we’re worried, that’s all.”

“i…” klaus shook his head. “i’m fine. everything is okay. you don’t have to worry about me.”

vanya said, “you would help me if you could. i know that. let us help you.”

that broke klaus’s heart. his voice broke too, as he said, “you can’t.”

vanya sat to his left, and after a moment of hesitation, diego sat to his right. vanya said, “then at least let us hear about it.”

“you don’t have to keep it to yourself.” diego said.

“don’t…” klaus leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. “i want to be able to be alone. i don’t want to depend on you.”

diego shrugged. “that’s what siblings are for. r-real siblings, they help each other when they need it. you can have time alone and still tell us about whatever happened.”

klaus stayed with his head in his hands. “i guess.”

vanya rested a comforting hand on his back.

“i don’t know where it is.” klaus started. “i don’t know where he takes me. but it’s a mausoleum, somewhere.” he took a breath, and vanya and diego waited in silence.

“he leaves me there. the spirits know i can hear them and i don’t want to be there. they’re so angry, they’re so much angrier than the ones you usually meet on the street or the ones who died in their sleep or even the ones who got murdered because they’re usually just sad, i don’t know why these ones are so angry, but they never stop screaming. it’s a tiny room and it’s all i can see and hear and i have to be in there for hours.”

he felt vanya stiffen beside him, her fingers curling as she listened. he’d upset her.

“i’m sorry, it’s… i don’t want to upset you. either of you.” klaus said, looking at the floor through his fingers.

diego shifted, and vanya immediately said, “no, it’s alright. you shouldn’t have had to go through that.” her voice was quieter, and he couldn’t tell if it was pity or something else.

“h-he’s horrible.” diego said, nearly spitting out the words.

“i know i’m going to have to go back again. he doesn’t think i’m over my fear. i’m not.” klaus said to the floor. “if i don’t go he’s probably going to use it against me. or you guys, somehow. i can’t do anything.”

“if this is all we can do, we’ll keep listening.” vanya said.

klaus nodded and sighed. “thank you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cw: the whole obvious background of reginald being abusive and them all worrying, klaus detoxing, allison isnt mean she was just surprised

“what do you think happens after this?” allison asked one day, sitting with klaus and vanya in klaus’s room, keeping him company as he sobered up- partly because dad was forcing his siblings to keep an eye on him to shame him into sobriety, partly because they cared.

“after what?” vanya asked from her perch on the end of klaus’s bed.

“we have to leave sometime.” allison said, her voice lowering. klaus looked nervously over at the door and allison paused to sweep his hair out of his face from where he leaned against her legs. “this can’t last forever. we can’t stay here forever.”

vanya sucked in an anxious breath. “do you have… anything in mind? for the future?”

klaus laughed, anxiety and a sheen of sweat on his face. “you think there’s a future for us? dad wouldn’t allow it.”

“i’m going to california. i’m going to act and be famous for something besides all this.” allison told them.

klaus paused for a moment, his expression going serious. “will you send us your dvds so we can keep up with you?”

allison smiled. “of course i will. van, what are you gonna do?”

“i…” vanya shrugged one shoulder. “maybe i’ll join an orchestra. i just want something calm. just a nice little place somewhere quiet, a wife who makes me happy, maybe some plants to take care of.”

allison’s eyes went wide. “i didn’t know you were gay. n-not that it’s weird or anything.”

vanya’s face lit up red, and before she could respond, klaus said, “allison, have you ever seen vanya in a shirt that  _ doesn’t _ scream ‘soft butch’ before?” he snorted at his own statement and then added, “c’mon.”

“don’t tell anyone else.” vanya said. “i… didn’t mean to.”

“lost in daydreams of domestic bliss?” klaus said, rolling away from allison to lean instead against vanya. “does your wife play cello? that’s the big one, right?” he trailed off, snickering at his own half-formed joke.

“i hate y-”

“i’m your favorite brother.” klaus grinned, his eyes half closed.

vanya lightly shoved his shoulder so he lay flat on his back instead of facing her. “i don’t know if i’d say that.”

“favorite sister, then.” klaus said.

“that one’s taken too.” allison said. “sorry, klaus.”

klaus groaned and covered his face with his hands. “favorite sibling, neutrally, generally.”

“maybe.” vanya said, her smile creeping into her voice. “do i get to make fun of your crush on ryan ross?”

“i don’t have a crush on him.” klaus said indignantly. he laughed lightly and said, “if we’re talking emos, though, the guitarist from f-”

allison snorted. “we know.”

klaus rolled over onto his stomach and propped himself up on his forearms. “vanya, you should listen to paramore with me. they’re on my ipod, the singer is so pretty. you could marry her.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cw: the whole obvious background of reginald being abusive and them all worrying, ben... being dead, but like, freshly

the first time ben appeared after he had died, klaus wasn’t expecting it. 

he was high, locked in his room packing his shit to go, like everyone else was- well, everyone but luther, and really, who expected him to leave? the thought made him dully, vaguely angry, so he stopped folding his shirts and started throwing them into the carry-on case he was packing.

he turned to grab the book he’d thrown on his bed and froze when he saw ben sitting there, watching him forlornly.

the only thing he could think to do was just stare, because he couldn’t come up with anything to say. he was  _ high _ , why could he see ben?

ben, clearly, was wondering the same. “can you see me? klaus?” he sat up straighter.

klaus nodded.

ben stood up off the bed and went to throw his arms around klaus, and instead just passed through him. he stepped back again, blinking, and said, “oh, yeah.”

“yeah.” klaus said, and started sobbing. he let himself sink back to the ground where he’d been sorting out his clothes. “i’m sorry. i’m sorry i wasn’t there.”

ben shook his head. “please don’t.”

klaus leaned his head back and covered his face with his hands, his tattooed palms against his cheeks, trying to gain some control of his breathing. “we failed you.”

“dad failed me.” ben said, his voice a little broken. “i didn’t want to…” he trailed off and started over. “i knew it was risky, but i didn’t think.”

“you just listened.” klaus said, through his hands. “ben, you hate him, why did you listen?”

“not like i had a lot of other choices.” ben said quietly. “are… are you leaving?”

“everyone is.” klaus said. he breathed in again, shakily, and let the breath out slowly before looking back at ben, pretending like he wasn’t still tearing up. “no one wants to be here anymore. we already didn’t want to be, but you… it was too much. i can’t be here.”

ben asked, “everyone? even-”

“no, he’s staying. i don’t even know that he knows everyone plans on going. vanya’s gone already, diego leaves today or tomorrow, allison flies out to california next week.” klaus said, slowly, shakily picking up another shirt.

“where are you planning on going?” ben asked. “do i… do i just follow you? do i get pulled along with you?”

klaus shrugged. “i don’t know. i don’t know how any of this works, apparently, because no offense, ben, but i didn’t think i’d be seeing  _ any _ spirits today, especially not you. why haven’t you… gone? seen the light? fucked off to be done with us?”

“i don’t really know how it works either. i… woke up? and i was here.” ben said. “i don’t have to go anywhere if you can actually see me, i guess.”

“good fuckin’ luck, if you’re stuck with me.” klaus said, letting out a sound that was half-laugh and half-sob. “you ready for me to shatter your outlook on me even more?”

“i’m glad it’s you, klaus.” ben said. “imagine if i had to haunt luther for the rest of his life?”


End file.
